'The Vagina Monologues'

'Vagina Monologues' draws large crowds as well as protesters
About 10 people showed up Friday night to protest a production of 'The Vagina
Monologues.'


Protesters of "Monologues" say the production did not accurately represent
women's diversity
By Ayisha Yahya
News Editor

February 16, 2004


They silently stood hand in hand with gray duct tape pasted across their lips
and "Vagina Warriors" emblazoned on the back of their white shirts. The front
of the shirts had different messages: "Warning: Hostile Vagina," "Not all
vaginas are skinny, white + straight" and "My cunt is not represented here."
About 10 people gathered in front of Agate Hall on Friday to protest what they
called a lack of representation of different kinds of women in "The Vagina
Monologues" production, which ran Thursday through Saturday at the Agate Hall
auditorium.

In flyers handed out to audience members at the show, University graduate
Nicole Sangsuree Barrett wrote that while there was "diversity" in the show, it
was minimal. Women of "a variety of skin colors, body sizes, abilities and
gender expressions" were not adequately represented, she said.

"I would just like to call attention to the fact that this could have been a
more diverse cast, but a safe and welcoming environment was not created for
people that I consider to be 'underrepresented,'" Barrett said in the
statement.

Senior Natalie Mays, the show's assistant director, said that while she
respects the protesters' views, she thinks some of the decisions were
misinterpreted. According to show organizers, the show's aim was to raise
awareness about women's issues, and all proceeds went toward fighting violence
against women.

At the demonstration Friday, Barrett said she chose not take part when she was
originally asked to be in the show. She said she tried to bring up questions of
race with the show's directors, but the process was unsuccessful. Barrett said
the directors told her she seemed to have a different vision for the play.

"Race is so crucial to this play," Barrett said, adding that not to talk about
it makes the issue seem unimportant. "They don't know how it looks like for a
woman of color."

She added that the show's organizers didn't offer a safe space for people of
different backgrounds.

"Know that what you are seeing tonight is not the result of an inclusive
process," Barrett said in the statement. "Know that this space was not one
where honest questions and concerns about race were tolerated."

Senior Melissa Ballard, one of the demonstrators, was originally part of the
cast, but said the directors asked her to leave a week before the show started
because she was "hostile."

"The Vagina Monologues is a very good cause but not all women were represented
in this production of the monologue," Ballard said.

After her dismissal, she said only one other woman of color remained in the
show. "Plus size" and queer women were also not well-represented, she said.

"They could have had the option of having them but they chose not to," Ballard
said.

Ballard said she is not sure why the directors thought she was hostile, adding
that they never came to her to talk about any problems.

She added that she hoped the demonstration would help people recognize what is
represented and what is not.

Mays, meanwhile, said she completely understands and supports the need for
diversity.

"No way would I intentionally alienate anyone," she said. "It breaks my heart
that different people feel alienated by this show."

Mays said about 85 people auditioned for the show and there wasn't a large pool
of "visible" people of color to choose from. She said it is also not always
possible to tell one's ethnicity or sexual orientation just by looking at the
person, adding that she does not usually ask people what their sexual
orientation is at an audition.

Mays, who is part Native American herself, said she mainly wanted strong women
with passion and dedication when she made the casting decisions.

"I'm not just going to put someone in my show because of the way they look,"
she said, adding that to do so is in itself a form of discrimination.

Senior Katie McClatchey, the show's director, said other technical aspects,
such as time commitments and conflicts, also influenced the choices of cast
members.

Mays said she thought she had answered Barrett's questions but perhaps further
dialogue was required at the time.

"Words can be perceived in the wrong way and apparently mine were," she said.

Both McClatchey and Mays said they do not recall calling Ballard "hostile."

"I don't believe she is a hostile person at all," Mays said.

More than 1,000 people watched the show, which sold out on all three nights.

ASUO President Maddy Melton, who helped hand out flyers at the demonstration
before the show, said she was there to offer her personal support.

"Issues of multiple identity and including women of color, women of different
sizes, is an issue that's pervasive, and I personally feel that we need to talk
about it," Melton said.

She said the demonstration offered a chance to educate and create dialogue on
these issues.

In light of concerns from different parties, "Vagina Monologues" producer Guru
Simrat Khalsa said there will be a forum today at 6 p.m. in the EMU Fir Room to
discuss the show. Khalsa said feedback is vital to make future projects
successful, representative and a safe space for everyone.

"That's definitely something that's important to us," she said. "My only regret
is that people did not come to me earlier with this issue."



Popeye
The only working atomic bomb platforms the
Japanese ever had were delivered via airmail.

>"I would just like to call attention to the fact that this could have been a
>more diverse cast, but a safe and welcoming enviro

Are any vagina's with penises (peni?) represented?

Inquiring minds wanna know :)

and Happy Christmas!

And if the word christmas offends your PC sensibilities.....well just bite
me....

take care

Blll

What is connection with SCUBA?

buzcutt454@aol.comByteMe (Popeye NCAT3) writes:

>'Vagina Monologues' draws large crowds as well as protesters
> About 10 people showed up Friday night to protest a production of 'The Vagina
>Monologues.'

--
Vincent Fox
Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta Georgia, 30332
Internet: vf5@mail.gatech.edu

"Vincent Fox" wrote ...
> What is connection with SCUBA?

Uhhhh... Muff-diving?

Grumman-581 wrote:

> "Vincent Fox" wrote ...
>
>>What is connection with SCUBA?
>
>
> Uhhhh... Muff-diving?
>
>

Groan

"James Connell" wrote ...
> Groan

Well... It seemed like an obvious connection to *me*...

In article <cqg754$3mg$1@news-int2.gatech.edu>, Vincent Fox
<vf5@prism.gatech.edu> wrote:

€ What is connection with SCUBA?

It's on rec.scuba. That connects it.

Have a seat, newbie.

--
"C'mon, you sons of bitches, you want to live forever?"
-Sergeant Major Dan Daly

Popeye NCAT3 wrote:
> 'Vagina Monologues' draws large crowds as well as protesters

A couple of years ago an anthropologist in England proposed that that
Stonehenge was built in the shape of a giant vagina. The outer rings
were the vulva, the great centre stones were the clit. The entire
monument represented a cosmic birthplace where the life force was
centred. The Vagina Monoliths.

Cam

<cam.barr@beer.com> wrote ...
> A couple of years ago an anthropologist in England proposed that that
> Stonehenge was built in the shape of a giant vagina. The outer rings
> were the vulva, the great centre stones were the clit.

Someone proposed that the Dodge Ram emblem was something like that also...
http://www.columbia.edu/~gwo2001/dodge.html

buzcutt454@aol.comByteMe (Popeye NCAT3) wrote in
news:20041223210544.06621.00002257@mb-m15.aol.com:

> 'Vagina Monologues' draws large crowds as well as protesters
> About 10 people showed up Friday night to protest a production of
> 'The Vagina
> Monologues.'

Y'know, I can talk about pussy all the day long, and no one has ever given
me a dime for it.

I must be doing something wrong.